Sore Peter Siddle keen to finish the South Africans off in second Test

SORE spearhead Peter Siddle will push his battered body to finish off South Africa after James Pattinson's devastating breakdown in Adelaide.

Birthday boy Siddle remains Australian skipper Michael Clarke’s go to circuit breaker - sending down 94 overs this series but will have just three days to rebound for the third Test decider in Perth.

“The body has been better, I think a big first Test and another quick turnaround between innings here, it is hard work but I think there is always that carrot at the end of tomorrow afternoon,” said Siddle with the Proteas needing an unlikely 353 runs with six wickets in hand to win the second Test.

Slimline Siddle will rely on his AFL style training regime and vegan diet to back up at the WACA where Australia is expected to unleash a four-man pace attack with Victorian teammate John Hastings a bolter inclusion.

Hastings, Josh Hazelwood and left-armer Mitchell Johnson will now compete to support Ben Hilfenhaus, Siddle and Mitchell Starc in Perth.

“We will keep charging in, keep banging that wicket and we will keep having a crack at getting those six wickets,” said Siddle, who claimed the vital scalps of Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers and Alviro Petersen here.

“That is part of Test cricket, we like the challenge, if we didn’t like it we wouldn’t be playing. We will keep pushing for the captain and the boys.”

Respected former Australian bowling coach and 71-Test talisman Craig McDermott has backed protege Hastings to bolster Australia in Perth - as Victorian coach Greg Shipperd did after the "fine" 27-year-old took 5/66 against South Australia in Melbourne yesterday.

"John is a tremendous guy, has a very big motor, can bowl for a long time," McDermott said.

Allrounder Hastings, a former Australian schoolboys second rower, sat out last summer with a shoulder reconstruction but opened the bowling for Australia A against South Africa in Sydney this month.

Strong and accurate, Hastings hit the bat hard in taking match figures of 9/89 for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield season opener against Western Australia in Perth and has 22 at 18 predominantly on flat strips in Melbourne and Sydney this season.

"He had some setbacks in the last 18 months and it is good to see him back on the road," said McDermott of Hastings who managed 11 one-day games for Australia before his injury.

Australia has emphatically humbled England and India with four-pronged pace attacks at the WACA in the past two seasons.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon helped put Australia in the box seat for victory in Adelaide with 2/15 yesterday but is likely to be rested in a horses for courses selection philosophy as he was last year in Perth.

Hazlewood, 21, has been with the Test squad intermittently since the Brisbane Test to ensure he was part of the team fabric if required at short notice.

"I also worked with Josh and he looks in very good touch this season, he bowled well in the Champions Trophy and has been doing very well in Shield cricket. He looked the goods when he was up training with the first Test team in Brisbane,” said McDermott.

McDermott was moved by Pattinson's season ending diagnosis, having overseen the 22 year-old paceman's rise to Test enforcer against India while national bowling mentor.

"He has been really good. I am sure he would be absolutely gutted and working hard to get back as quickly as he can,” said McDermott of Pattinson, Siddle's Dandenong clubmate

Johnson didn't enhance his claims for a Test return with 0/50 against Tasmania in Hobart but has 13 at 33 this season back throttling at 150km/h.

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